Savannah College of Art and Design’s performing arts department will close the 2012-13 season with the outrageous musical comedy, “Urinetown.”
With music by Mark Hollmann, book by Greg Kotis and lyrics by both Hollmann and Kotis, SCAD’s run is directed by Michael Wainstein with musical direction by Kevin Wallace. “Urinetown” performances are scheduled for May 23-26 at Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St.

One of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, “Urinetown” is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage caused by a 20-year drought has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. Citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs.

From a sea of people, a hero emerges and plans a revolution that will lead them all to freedom. Inspired by the works of German theater collaborators Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, “Urinetown is an irreverently humorous satire.

The idea for “Urinetown” was born in the spring of 1995, when Greg Kotis encountered pay-per-use toilets at the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. It was then that the musical's central idea hit him. “Urinetown” was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, winning three. It also won Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for best musical.

Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. May 23-25, and 3 p.m. May 26. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $10 with senior, student or military ID, and $5 with SCAD ID. The May 23 performance is free to those with a valid SCAD ID.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors.